Describing Why Some Place Feels Like Home

One of the hardest types of essay questions I have in this application process is the "why is this place the right fit for you?" question. It's particularly difficult because I really just want to write, "Because it just feels right." and leave it at that. Unfortunately, of course, you're not supposed to write something so short, non-descript, non-explanatory, etc., etc., etc.... Total. Bummer.

Pick me, pick me!!

I am wrapping up my applications for business school. (Finally!) Keep your fingers crossed for me in a couple weeks, as the lovely people in four offices of admissions will be reviewing my materials then...

Holiday Traditions

I love the holidays and all the things that go along with them. In no particular order, here's a taste of what I love the very most:

- annual family cut-down-the-Christmas-tree event (see a scene from this year's event on the right; yep, that's a saw)

- hot chocolate from scratch for the aforementioned tree-cutting-down event

- excuses to try new recipes

- finding that perfect present

- bundling up in warm scarves and slippers at home

- fires in the fireplace

- seeing other knitters frantically trying to finish their projects on the subway

- time to be with friends and family

Health Scare

Dear reader(s), in case you've never met me or have developed sudden and severe amnesia, you should know that Guster is my dog. My trusty sidekick. My pal. You should also know that he's old. Very very old.

Over the weekend he had some sort of episode. He was shaking, shivering, panting heavily, unable to lie or sit down, and his heart was racing. This went on for over an hour. It had happened once before for about 15 minutes or so while I was at work, but this time I was there for the whole terrifying thing. Guster seems to have gotten over it, but it made me suddenly face his mortality in a way that I haven't before. Sure, he's got lumps all over and some may be cancerous, but this felt like an immediate danger.

I love my dog and I don't want to lose him. Not yet. On the other hand, he seemed so rattled by the experience that I began to worry about his comfort level. I want to do the best and most humane thing for him when the time comes. I hugged him and told him I love him, which in the end is probably the only thing I'll be able to do. Thank goodness that time wasn't this past weekend... a fact he underscored by jumping in the bathtub (the cat's litter box is there) later that day. For once, I gave him a big "Good dog!" for that.

A Little Spice in My Life

After making pumpkin muffins this morning with one of the small pumpkins we didn't use for Thanksgiving, I'm left with a cup or so of seeds that are aching for some seasoning. I toyed with the idea of making some very boring salted/roasted pumpkin seeds, but decided that the chile-lime flavored seeds Mom and I made a few years ago would be well worth the extra effort of walking the two blocks to the grocery store for a couple limes.

I also bought some cranberries at the farmers market last weekend and am looking forward to the finished cranberry sauce. Yes, I know Thanksgiving already happened -- it's just that I really like cranberry sauce on turkey sandwiches. I might try my hand at New England Cranberry Duff (think: buttery upside down cake with toasted pecans and cranberries) and cranberry ginger jelly.

And now for the completely unrelated news portion of this post... I'm very relieved after having taken my car into the shop yesterday and learning that I don't actually need new brake pads. Long story short: I got new brakes in April and since then my car has made a funny noise when the brakes are applied. Finally, spooked enough by the possibility that my car might not actually be safe to drive, I took the car in yesterday. Turns out it's not a safety issue at all and that the noise comes from the type of brake pads they used in April. The auto repair guys explained that they were trying to compete with lower prices from other brake shops in the area and so they used a different kind of brake pad. They're switching the pads and rotars free of charge at my earliest convenience. That's $400 that I don't have to worry about... What a relief!

Practice-Test Induced Depression

I just took a full-length practice test for the first time since I took the actual GMAT, and I did miserably--worse than when I took the test itself. I'm frustrated beyond belief and am trying to keep perspective. I think the plan at this point is to just keep taking full-length practice tests from now until Doomsday. Ugh.

Promise me this is gonna be worth it.

Test-Induced Anxiety

I'm a horrible test-taker. Horrible. And now I'm faced with something more than terrifying -- retaking the GMAT. By now I've figured out the methods behind the actual math part, but it's the time management piece that I just don't have. So, the vast majority of my spare time now revolves around practice tests and stop watches. Lucky me. On second thought, strike that. Wish me luck.

In other news, I'm reading a really wonderful book -- The Angel's Game. I highly recommend it. I don't want to tell you, dear reader(s), what it's about, but I assure that the author's ability to weave together a story is truly remarkable. Speaking of books, I'm back on the fence about getting an e-reader. There is some definite appeal when it comes to the size of the thing, especially in comparison to the heft of The Angel's Game. I'm also thrilled that the particular e-reader I want (the Sony PRS300) has a partnership with the New York Public Library. If there's one thing you should know about me, it's my love affair with libraries.

Well, back to my set of data sufficiency questions...